The highly anticipated heavyweight rematch between British-Nigerian Anthony Joshua versus Oleksandr Usyk rematch has begun in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the Arabian Desert meets the Red Sea.
At 10:58 pm, Joshua stepped out of his locker room and began his run-up into the ring clad in all black. The rematch is tagged ‘Rage on the Red Sea’.
The former champion looks extremely trim, relaxed and focused on his goal of reclaiming his WBA, IBF and WBC titles from Ukrainian Usyk, but will know just what a challenge he has in front of him.
Shortly after, the defending champion Usyk walks into the ring wearing a T-shirt with the inscription ‘Colors of Freedom’.
Expectedly, the British anthem comes first for Joshua as both fighters walk around the ring staring each other down. Usyk’s Ukrainian anthem then comes on.
Round One: Tight start in Joshua, Usyk rematch
It’s a tentative start as neither Joshua nor Usyk lands anything of note in an opening couple of minutes.
It finally opens up a bit in the closing minute as Usyk lands a solid lead right hand before Joshua attacks the body.
Usyk lands his best-left hand of the round in the final seconds, and it’s certainly a very tight opener.
A cagey first round, with Joshua looking, focused and maintaining his guard while Usyk is trying to find his range and searching with his jabs.
Both fighters test each other with body shots in the early moments of the fight with Joshua matching his opponent by landing some blows of his own but will need to let loose in order to win on the scorecards against the Ukrainian.
Round 2: Anthony Joshua shows intent
In round two, Joshua connects with Usyk’s face with a solid hit that stuns the Ukrainian before he pushes on.
A confident Joshua steps into Usyk’s space landing hits on Usyk’s side and face with Usyk stepping back and holding on to Joshua.
Joshua doesn’t stop! Lands another punch at Usyk’s side and jaw. The Ukrainian backsteps but is still able to land three jabs on Joshua, who lands a final hit before the second round gets stopped. Joshua is dominant and confident.
Round 3: Joshua, Usyk’s tight exchange continues
It remains very tight in the opening couple of minutes of the third.
Usyk lands a couple of good shots in the final minute before Joshua responds with a clubbing right hook which is partially blocked by the Ukrainian.
It’s another very tight round that could probably be scored either way, but surely Joshua can’t get into another pure boxing exchange with his opponent.
Another good round from Joshua, he is certainly growing in confidence here and landed a big right hook in the last round!
Round 4: Joshua, Usyk in final stages fierce exchange
The pattern we’ve seen in the early rounds continues as it’s pretty circumspect stuff to start with, before it opens up in the final minute.
Usyk lands first once more, but Joshua again has a response as he fires off a couple of rights hands of his own.
The round ends with Joshua countering another Usyk attack and the Brit walks back to his corner with a smile on his face.
The fight opens up in the fourth round as Usyk releases a barrage of blows to Joshua, but the former champion is able to respond to what his opponent throws at him.
Joshua launches a big combination as the bell goes and is certainly easing up as we move through the fight.
Round 5: Joshua lands vicious body shots
It’s a slightly more active start to the round, before Joshua lands a shot that referee Luis Pabon says is low and allows Usyk time to recover.
When the fight resumes Joshua lands another vicious right hand to the body, but Usyk comes back moments later with a nice counter.
The champion finds a home for a heavy left hand of his own, which Joshua takes well, before the Brit lands a right hand in the dying moments that may have just seen him edge the round.
Round 6: Usyk delivers best round of fight
It’s Usyk’s turn to land a good body shot early in the sixth, but Joshua takes it pretty well.
Usyk is having his best round as he continues to pepper Joshua with punches, and despite one good flurry from the Brit, that is definitely Usyk’s round.
It’s certainly tight at the halfway stage, but many expected Usyk to be the fighter that would come on stronger in the second half of the fight, as he did in London last year.
We’re about to find out what will happen this time around.
Round 7: Usyk growing in confidence
Joshua appears to be having a better round as he takes the centre of the ring for an opening couple of minutes, but it’s Usyk who lands the most meaningful punches as he gets on top in the final 60 seconds.
Joshua takes a sweetly timed left hand well, but looks a little frustrated as he heads back to his corner.
Could this fight be following the pattern of their first encounter?
Round 8: Joshua attacks Usyk’s body
Round 8 remains Anthony Joshua’s best round for a while.
He continues to take a fair amount of punishment from Usyk, but this time has some success of his own as he unleashes a combination of body shots.
It’s definitely the most aggression we’ve seen from AJ, but he certainly took his fair share of shots as well.
This could be about to get very exciting if Joshua has decided it’s time to go for broke.
Round 9: Anthony Joshua breaks Usyk’s defences
Anthony Joshua finally breaks through the defences of Usyk and gets his opponent on the run.
Usyk is forced to hold on as Joshua stalks him around the ring. The Brit is unable to land anything truly clean, but has the sustained attack taken something out of Usyk?
In his best round so far, Joshua looks composed but needs to find three more similar rounds against a tiring Usyk in order to win this fight.
Score – Usyk (5 rounds) – Joshua (4 rounds).
Round 10: Usyk makes comeback, Joshua shaken
Oleksandr Usyk responds in style to Joshua’s best period of the contest and has the Brit badly shaken for the first time in the fight.
Joshua looks in deep trouble before a big right hand of his own suddenly leaves Usyk looking troubled once more.
But after some brief respite, it’s Usyk who’s back on the attack in the final stages, once more leaving Joshua in trouble.
Can Joshua recover from that?
Round 11: Joshua guns for more, targets Usyk’s body
Usyk controls the early stages of the round but Joshua once more finds success as he lands to the body.
It’s a pretty even round, but with Usyk surely ahead on the cards, that’s not enough for Joshua at the moment.
Can the Brit produce a miracle in the final round?
Round 12: Usyk outworks courageous Joshua
Usyk has Joshua on the back foot early but the Brit courageously comes forward and momentarily stops his opponent in his tracks.
Joshua doesn’t have enough left in the tank to sustain the attack, and it’s Usyk who repeatedly lands in the closing minute.
The Ukrainian has surely done enough to retain his titles.
Special moments
There’s no malice between the two supreme fighters as they share a moment in apparent prayer in the middle of the ring, before embracing.
Joshua appears to have accepted defeat, and Usyk will surely be awarded the decision by a significant margin.
